Essential reading.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
SPIN Magazine's wonderful tribute to Jay Bennett
It's sad that we often don't fully realize how much of an impact one makes on a life until they are gone. As I wrote about a few days ago, I felt Jay Bennett was unfairly dismissed from Wilco and SPIN Magazine's Ellen Carpenter puts it all into perspective.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Former Wilco Member Jay Bennett Dead at 45
Former Wilco member Jay Bennett died Sunday in Urbana, Illinois. This is a tragic end to a wonderful musician who often did not receive the credit he deserved for his contributions to Wilco and numerous other artists (check out his Wiki page here and also this link which includes a list of his contributions).
Deb Bernardini, Wilco's publicist, released the following statement from Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy:
"We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him -- as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time."
The death of anyone is time to sit back and take time to ponder their life, but your own as well. What makes this circumstance tragic is that it appeared Bennett was uninsured at the time of his death and as a result, was suing Wilco for unpaid royalties just so he could cover his medical costs. Gawker has an extensive article on his death at this link.In the world of rock n' roll the side musicians and people behind the scenes often get lost in the shuffle. Bennett was a wondrous musician who contributed significantly to the Wilco sound. Watching their documentary film I Am Trying To Break Your Heart was a difficult experience because in my humble opinion, Bennett was dismissed from the band unceremoniously. The album that he was dismissed during the recording of, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, proved to be the band's break through success largely due to the infamous record company battles the band endured.
Essential reading regarding Jay Bennett:
Wilco is a band whose existence in rock n' roll is unique. I often encounter people who don't understand why the band are critic's darlings and this is easily understood as their music is not for everyone. However, I would highly suggest checking out their third record, Summerteeth, which will take you on a wondrous journey of power-pop landscapes with introspective and yearing lyrics influenced by Tweedy's marital issues at that time. My favorite tracks on the record, "Can't Stand It", "ELT", "I'm Always In Love" and "Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)", all of which Jay Bennett co-wrote. Despite the differences he and Jeff Tweedy had, he was invaluable to Wilco, their breakthrough albums and ultimately their legacy.
Jay Bennett will be missed and condolences go out to his family and friends.
Wilco on Austin City Limits 1999
For the full show check out the following links:
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 1)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 2)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 3)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 4)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 5)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 6)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 7)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 8)
Wilco - Austin City Limits 8-6-99 (Part 9)
Lastly: My review of Wilco from their Chicago residency in 2008 at this link.
Rock Reads: ‘Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Boy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up with the Rolling Stones (and Lived to Tell About It)’ (by Bill German)
Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Boy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up with the Rolling Stones (and Lived to Tell About It) - written by Bill German
Book review – 4 Stars
By Anthony Kuzminski
{Photo Credit}
Falling in love may be the most profound experience a human can encounter. When it happens, nothing else in the world seems to matter as long as that love exists. However, the experience of love doesn’t always involve the romantic entangling of two people, but can come from the love of a certain hobby. For Bill German, the great love of his life was the Rolling Stones. German was so head over heels infatuated with the band that in the midst of losing his virginity, he walked out on a half naked girl because the local record store received a rare live bootleg from the Some Girls tour and only one copy was left. German felt that losing his virginity could wait, but the Stones wouldn’t. This last sentence pretty much summed up German’s life from 1978 to early 1996. Bill German gave his heart, body, mind, soul, bank account and adolescence to the Rolling Stones and finally, he has something to point to which represents nearly twenty-years of his life in the form of a memoir; Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Boy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up with the Rolling Stones (and Lived to Tell About It) .
Bill German started the Beggar’s Banquet newsletter out of passion in 1978 and within a few years it became the definitive source for information on the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger was even quoted as saying “Bill knows what we’re doing even before we do”. When the Stones began to think of starting their own fan club, they wanted German to run it. It was a short lived excursion as the many layers of Stones management proved to be too much to handle and German found out that being independent was far greater than being part of a bigger machine. When the Stones geared up for their Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge tours in 1989 and 1994 respectively, German got on board as well for nearly every show sometimes finding himself on stage with the band and at other times inside a club for their rare intimate club shows. He was also at Keith Richards Christmas parties (in a state he couldn’t publish in his newsletter) and he became close and intimate with Ron Wood even ghost writing a book about his art with him. Amazingly, German managed to keep his head above the water during all of this and these are the stories that make Under Their Thumb one of the truly great books about the Rolling Stones ever written.
In recent years, I have come to loathe authorized rock bio’s because I often find they contain more fiction than unauthorized ones by artists who don’t look fondly on their pasts. These artists often carefully enhance legacies where they don’t need enhancing. I like my rock biographies rough around the edges, with stories of conflict because in all honesty, this is where the truth lies. German’s book houses a detailed account of the Stones albums and tours through the end of 1995’s Voodoo Lounge tour and why it may not have a track-by-track analysis of the records or songs, it offers invaluable insight into the daily lives of these guys when the spotlight isn’t shining on them. He gives insight into late night recording sessions, Ron Wood’s general ADD, Keith Richard’s love of music and Mick Jagger’s need for control. On the flipside, he details encounters of Jagger’s graciousness as well. He doesn’t hold these guys on a throne and he doesn’t beat them down either. He paints a picture of them that is ultimately the most humane the Stones have ever come off. What makes Under Their Thumb such great reading is the characters that German encounters through his adventures with the Stones. Their combined personalities would have made the greatest reality show ever and almost none of them did I hear about before this book. I do not want to spoil them for you, so you will have to take my word on it. Then there are one of a kind events German managed to be there for including rare club show, Ian Stewart’s tribute show from 1986, watching the band dismantle their Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame statues and even in Ron Wood’s basement cutting a demo with Mick Jagger. I’m just touching the tip of the iceberg of stories that entwine themselves in the book.
Stanley Booth and Robert Greenfield’s accounts of the bands in the late 1960’s and early 70’s find them knee deep in excess and epic misbehavior, but German’s book is for my tastes the most truthful and readable. Not to take anything away from Greenfield and Booth, but their books are poetic and legendary and involve people and world’s the average person would never be able to break into. German’s book makes you feel like you were in the studio right next to Wood and Richards as they track Dirty Work. That is not to say that German doesn’t have some juicy tidbits to share including a confrontation where Jagger angrily confronts him about not being terribly kind to their Live Aid performances and about how the monster machine of the band began to work once the band signed on with Michael Cohl in the late 80’s. However, what makes the book so enjoyable is his fly-on-the-wall nature of his writing. Some writers have complained that German was merely a fan who held onto the wings of the band and was able to do so by pure luck. They are missing the point. While Greenfield’s and Booth’s books may have more of an edge to them, ultimately, both were blinded by becoming too close. German was always aware of his place and ultimately, it is the perspective of a fan we love the most and German knows this character better than anyone.Ultimately, there is a melancholy sweetness to the book that I cherish. It broke my heart. The bigger each tour got, the more handlers there were. The band was almost impossible to reach even if German had friendly relationships with both Richards and Wood. In the book you learn about how many obstacles get placed in front of the band when they take big money up front. You also learn why the band stopped doing impromptu club appearances, why they could not be photographed holding certain alcohol beverages and why they don’t even make the minor appearance at a local blues club anymore. All of it is disheartening, but as German details eloquently in the book, no other band in the world works at this level and none probably ever will.
Being a devout fan of a band is unlike any other experience. In some ways it was dangerously too close. Ever since I started writing, you tend to learn things bout your favorite artists you wish you never knew about. While German speaks of his heartache from seeing how the Stones worked on a schedule set by accountants and lawyers, he realized that by the 1980’s, it didn’t really have much of anything to do with music. What most people do not realize is that the Stones are merely one of hundreds of acts who work this way. Over time, whenever I feel I have tended to get too close to the flame, I tend to pull back, because the stories you hear do affect your love of the music. How German managed to remain a fan through and through for nearly two decades is astonishing. I’ve let the business of my favorite acts weigh me down to the point where I can’t even stand to hear them when they come on the radio. But German fought the good fight and throughout all of the politics he had to endure, he reported on the Stones every month for nearly two decades. His quasi-association with the Rolling Stones outdates Brian Jones and Mick Taylor’s tenures with the band and he lasted longer than any manager or record company ever did. Bill German accomplished something almost no one else ever could; he hung with the Stones, became familiar with their inner workings and ultimately left the party before it ended…alive.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
OK, So I Am Going To Hell (American Idol Content)
OK...admit it, who else was expecting Scott MacIntyre to interrupt Danny Gokey's performance tonight (on American Idol) of Lionel Richie' "Hello" with a bust of Danny?
The Return of Will Hoge (Live in Chicago 4/14/09 Review)
The Return of Will Hoge
Schuba’s-Chicago, IL
April 14, 2009
Photos Courtesy of Will Byington (Contact him at this link)
By Anthony Kuzminski
(Read all related Will Hoge articles at this link)
Life and death; two extremes we try and balance on the wire of our existence. One we try and run from and the other we often fail to embrace. However, when worlds collide, it makes you take stock of both. On August 20th, 2008 Will Hoge was home in Nashville, Tennessee laying down tracks for his next studio disc. Upon the completion of a god day at the studio, he headed home on his scooter. He traveled north on Main Street in East Nashville and a short while later, Hoge awoke in the street, covered in blood and extreme pain without a recollection of what had occurred. Hoge’s scooter collided with another vehicle which found Hoge with limited vision, numerous broken bones and over one-hundred stitches in his face and that was just the start of it all. Events like this tend to put things into perspective. Far too many artists are lost to freak accidents and I’m happy to report that Hoge has recovered. Up until a few days before the show, barely had touched an instrument for eight months and the band had not done this type of a gig in quite sometime. For a traveling musician, eight months off the road is the equivalent of eight years to a band like the Rolling Stones. It’s an eternity. All of this makes the Chicago performance that much more of a miracle. Based on what I witnessed at Schuba’s night club in Chicago, the accident and the time off hasn’t taken any of his vitality away from him, in fact, he appeared more determined and confident than I could have ever imagined.
Will Hoge has worked hard performing over two-hundred shows a year and has won his fans over one-by-one and now plays to crowds larger than many acts with radio airplay; however for his return tour, he is booking smaller and more intimate venues like Schuba’s in Chicago where he made his first stage appearance in eight-months. Hoge took to the stage clean shaven, in a jacket, jeans and shirt ready to rock despite having the show be a sit down unplugged affair. A breathy atmosphere overtook the room as Hoge and his four-piece band tore through their acoustic set with the same intensity that their plugged in live shows have despite everyone being in their seats. Opening with five consecutive songs from his first two discs, Hoge reached back for some of his best known numbers; “Secondhand Heart”, “Rock N’ Roll Star”, “Your Fool”, “Somebody Else’s Baby” and “Better Off Now”, all of which were greeted with zealous enthusiasm from the crowd. I’d be lying to you if I told you that this was a perfectly performed set, but then again, should perfection and rock n’ roll go hand in hand? I say “no”. Hoge even acknowledged this when a mandolin came out and Hoge himself put on a harmonica around his neck on “Better Off Now” which he introduced as “time to make some new mistakes on new instruments”. Despite this, there were no erroneous errors or mishaps especially impressive considering it was Devin Malone’s first show (Hoge’s new guitarist). The set was constructed with a more intimate and personal setting in mind. Some of these songs have rarely been performed live including the longing “Draw the Curtains” and “The Highway’s Home” both of which were surrounded by a lingering and forlorn mood. “Hey Tonight” was another reworked revelation from his Atlantic record Blackbird on a Lonely Wire. He has reworked these songs so often that I’m surprised he doesn’t re-record them fully or release a double live release with one disc being live and another acoustic. “Sex, Lies and Money” has a “Boogie Chillin’” beat while “Let Me Be Lonely”, “She Don’t Care” and “These Were The Days” were rollicking and roared off the stage even with the band in their seats. I was expecting the band to take it easy so Hoge could ease his way back into touring, but no such thing happened. I’ve seen bands on the final night of their tour who didn’t sound a tenth as good as these guys did.
“Carousel” was a heart-stopping rendition that left the crowd’s mouths agape in silence. This was the same song that left me breathless on my initial experience back in 2005. The mandolin proved to be evocative and Hoge’s soulful lyrics downright invigorating. “Dirty Little War” found emotions laid out for all to not just hear but to see bleed through the face. Some artists write songs to have hits, others write to work through their personal demons. Hoge’s vocal intensity on this number was nothing short of staggering, you didn’t just see it or even feel it but you completely empathized with him through his impassioned performance.
The encore included the invigorating road anthem “Pocket Full of Change” (which included a hysterical story of former band members and a piano solo by Hoge) and the sweet and melancholy ballad “Baby Girl” which numerous female fans in the crowd requested. However, it was the solo performance of “When I Can Afford To Lose” that was the evening’s luminous moment. Hoge sat behind a piano and strapped on a harmonica and proceeded to lay his life on the line in a performance that was downright harrowing. If this song does not come from a first person perspective, then he is pulling every line of this song from somewhere deep within him. His vocal intensity speaks volumes and is enough for a lost soul to wrap their heart around and find their way through a dark period. Ever since Hoge appeared in front of me opening for another artist four years ago, his music has invigorated my life; it makes me feel alive and I find myself weaving my life story through his songs and as a result, I feel heavily invested in his career. The best artists on the planet instill their art into our lives; it comforts, reminds, haunts and gives us the will to live. Hoge’s near death experience is something one could write about in depth for a few thousand words, but when you have a musician as talented as Hoge, you realize the music is really all that matters and nothing I write about his journey will ever be as reviving as his music. To return to your craft and deliver a performance that is as emotionally gut wrenching as this one is why I love music; it’s why I want to write about it and it reminds us that despite the heartache we experience, life is not just worth living, it’s a blessing to us all something Hoge reminds us of every time he straps on a guitar and steps up to a microphone.
Schuba’s-Chicago, IL
April 14, 2009
Photos Courtesy of Will Byington (Contact him at this link)
By Anthony Kuzminski
(Read all related Will Hoge articles at this link)
Life and death; two extremes we try and balance on the wire of our existence. One we try and run from and the other we often fail to embrace. However, when worlds collide, it makes you take stock of both. On August 20th, 2008 Will Hoge was home in Nashville, Tennessee laying down tracks for his next studio disc. Upon the completion of a god day at the studio, he headed home on his scooter. He traveled north on Main Street in East Nashville and a short while later, Hoge awoke in the street, covered in blood and extreme pain without a recollection of what had occurred. Hoge’s scooter collided with another vehicle which found Hoge with limited vision, numerous broken bones and over one-hundred stitches in his face and that was just the start of it all. Events like this tend to put things into perspective. Far too many artists are lost to freak accidents and I’m happy to report that Hoge has recovered. Up until a few days before the show, barely had touched an instrument for eight months and the band had not done this type of a gig in quite sometime. For a traveling musician, eight months off the road is the equivalent of eight years to a band like the Rolling Stones. It’s an eternity. All of this makes the Chicago performance that much more of a miracle. Based on what I witnessed at Schuba’s night club in Chicago, the accident and the time off hasn’t taken any of his vitality away from him, in fact, he appeared more determined and confident than I could have ever imagined.
Will Hoge has worked hard performing over two-hundred shows a year and has won his fans over one-by-one and now plays to crowds larger than many acts with radio airplay; however for his return tour, he is booking smaller and more intimate venues like Schuba’s in Chicago where he made his first stage appearance in eight-months. Hoge took to the stage clean shaven, in a jacket, jeans and shirt ready to rock despite having the show be a sit down unplugged affair. A breathy atmosphere overtook the room as Hoge and his four-piece band tore through their acoustic set with the same intensity that their plugged in live shows have despite everyone being in their seats. Opening with five consecutive songs from his first two discs, Hoge reached back for some of his best known numbers; “Secondhand Heart”, “Rock N’ Roll Star”, “Your Fool”, “Somebody Else’s Baby” and “Better Off Now”, all of which were greeted with zealous enthusiasm from the crowd. I’d be lying to you if I told you that this was a perfectly performed set, but then again, should perfection and rock n’ roll go hand in hand? I say “no”. Hoge even acknowledged this when a mandolin came out and Hoge himself put on a harmonica around his neck on “Better Off Now” which he introduced as “time to make some new mistakes on new instruments”. Despite this, there were no erroneous errors or mishaps especially impressive considering it was Devin Malone’s first show (Hoge’s new guitarist). The set was constructed with a more intimate and personal setting in mind. Some of these songs have rarely been performed live including the longing “Draw the Curtains” and “The Highway’s Home” both of which were surrounded by a lingering and forlorn mood. “Hey Tonight” was another reworked revelation from his Atlantic record Blackbird on a Lonely Wire. He has reworked these songs so often that I’m surprised he doesn’t re-record them fully or release a double live release with one disc being live and another acoustic. “Sex, Lies and Money” has a “Boogie Chillin’” beat while “Let Me Be Lonely”, “She Don’t Care” and “These Were The Days” were rollicking and roared off the stage even with the band in their seats. I was expecting the band to take it easy so Hoge could ease his way back into touring, but no such thing happened. I’ve seen bands on the final night of their tour who didn’t sound a tenth as good as these guys did.
“Carousel” was a heart-stopping rendition that left the crowd’s mouths agape in silence. This was the same song that left me breathless on my initial experience back in 2005. The mandolin proved to be evocative and Hoge’s soulful lyrics downright invigorating. “Dirty Little War” found emotions laid out for all to not just hear but to see bleed through the face. Some artists write songs to have hits, others write to work through their personal demons. Hoge’s vocal intensity on this number was nothing short of staggering, you didn’t just see it or even feel it but you completely empathized with him through his impassioned performance.
The encore included the invigorating road anthem “Pocket Full of Change” (which included a hysterical story of former band members and a piano solo by Hoge) and the sweet and melancholy ballad “Baby Girl” which numerous female fans in the crowd requested. However, it was the solo performance of “When I Can Afford To Lose” that was the evening’s luminous moment. Hoge sat behind a piano and strapped on a harmonica and proceeded to lay his life on the line in a performance that was downright harrowing. If this song does not come from a first person perspective, then he is pulling every line of this song from somewhere deep within him. His vocal intensity speaks volumes and is enough for a lost soul to wrap their heart around and find their way through a dark period. Ever since Hoge appeared in front of me opening for another artist four years ago, his music has invigorated my life; it makes me feel alive and I find myself weaving my life story through his songs and as a result, I feel heavily invested in his career. The best artists on the planet instill their art into our lives; it comforts, reminds, haunts and gives us the will to live. Hoge’s near death experience is something one could write about in depth for a few thousand words, but when you have a musician as talented as Hoge, you realize the music is really all that matters and nothing I write about his journey will ever be as reviving as his music. To return to your craft and deliver a performance that is as emotionally gut wrenching as this one is why I love music; it’s why I want to write about it and it reminds us that despite the heartache we experience, life is not just worth living, it’s a blessing to us all something Hoge reminds us of every time he straps on a guitar and steps up to a microphone.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
Faces of Children (Visages d’enfants) - Silent Film Review and Commentary
Faces of Children (Visages d’enfants)
Jacques Feyder is a Belgian director who worked in both the silent and sound era of film. A few weeks back I caught his 1925 silent film, Faces of Children (Visages d’enfants). To say this film brought me to my knees would be an understatement. Silent films never get the credit they deserve. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the actors had to work ten times harder because their facial and body expressions needed to tell you everything because there was minimal dialogue in these scenes. What makes Faces of Children so astonishing is the personal nature of the film and how even eighty-plus years later it still rings true and it achingly poignant.
The film opens with the death of a mother and the family trying to make sense of it. The daughter is too young to understand, but the son grieves and visits his mother’s grave everyday. When the father remarries, the new family unit is not one any of the children are open to. The story evolves around these two different families becoming one. However, what makes this film standout from all others is the acting by the children. It’s not just good, it’s chilling. They express so much in the looks in their eyes and watching them and their actions is enough to break your heart.
The story is one that should be re-made in Hollywood today. However, with any luck, it would turn into something as dreadful as Monster In Law. What makes the film so engrossing is the compassion these lost souls show one another. Children of re-married parents are often shown as shrewd and evil, here they are just confused and yearning for their lost parents. The father doesn’t quite know how to console or speak to his son and as a result, he’s confused, not bad, not evil, just confused. The step-mother is a good person and it’s proven time and time again. She seeks to heal not just her pain, but her children and her step-children as well. Her attitude towards all of the children in the film makes this a refreshing and ultimately invigorating movie going experience.
The nuclear family of this story is much like ones of modern times where emotions weigh on us all and often, people are scared to express their emotions. We’ve evolved into a society that holds back and as this film demonstrates, this is never a good thing. I’m continually surprised and reminded of how despite all of our technological advances, humans still experience extreme pain and even though we have the tools to fix it, we choose to hold our anger and emotions within. Many people disregard silent film because they feel it’s overacted and out of touch, but this is a film where the acting is as relevant as any you’ve seen and the story could be applied to most families that experience death and divorce. In the end, we learn that sometimes that just because someone didn’t give birth to us, it doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve to be loved. Life is about finding that love and sometimes we fail to realize its right under our noses.
'Oasis'-South Korean Film Commentary and Review
I pulled a DVD from my local library thinking it was a DVD of the rock band Oasis, it wasn’t. But to my great surprise it was a deeply personal film from South Korea. For the uninitiated, South Korean cinema is known for its profoundly personal films and extremely difficult subject matters. Most films deal with issues that get glossed over on TV and would never be approved by any executive in Hollywood.Oasis is no different. It’s a study of how two disabled people (one with slight mental challenges and another with cerebral palsy) come together, fall in love and ultimately find themselves through each other. However, if you think this is a run of the mill story, you’re wrong. The lead character Jong-du Hong is uneasy to watch and merely watching his encounters is enough to make you stand up and walk around your house because it’s tense. I remember watching Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy for the first time and there were times where DeNiro’s character, Rupert Pupkin, just made you queasy and want to squirm in your seat. This is that type of movie. Sometimes actors can get under your skin because they are too real and the story hits too close to home. The entire time I watched Oasis, I was uncomfortable yet I couldn’t take my eyes off the film. Its one thing to hate a film and it’s another to shed light on a side of life you are unfamiliar with. Oasis isn’t a perfect film and I feel the ending of it was disenchanting, but the performances and the characters are as real as they come.
What I love about the new breed of South Korean cinema is that it’s brave, in-your-face and unrelenting. I like all kinds of movies and enjoy mindless popcorn flicks but it is equally important to seek out films like Oasis, because it may show you a side of life you are not familiar with. I believe that cinema can teach us about our world and give us insight to not just our lives, but other people’s as well. Every person you encounter throughout your day has a story that would probably fascinate you; the person giving you your coffee, an annoying co-worker, the person you flick off in your car and the sad looking person on the train. The new world cinema celebrates these lives and you should too.
Roger Ebert review of 'Oasis' at this link
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
U2 fail to sell out their third gig at Croke Park - Commentary
According to the Evening Herald (and @U2.com) U2 has failed to fate to sell-out their third Dublin show. Wait a minute...it's been four years since U2 toured and this is their hometown, right?
What's going on?
I personally think what we are witnessing is a bit of backlash from people who are just refusing to pay exuberant amounts of money for concerts. I think the world recession has forced everyone to think twice before parting with their cold hard cash. As one friend ever so eloquently said to me, "I need food and shelter to survive, but I don't need concert tickets".
I'll admit to U2 mostly having extremely fair ticket prices. If you average out prices on their current tour, the standard price stills comes to less than $100 (with select seats priced at $250 and 10,000 at every show priced at $30). However, this is U2. Arguably the biggest band in the world and they always carefully plan everything out and give their fans plenty of breathing space between tours. There is really no reason for them not to sell out...especially in Dublin.
Sadly, no one will probably care and it's unlikely Live Nation will do anything about it, but one has to wonder if the biggest band in the world can't sell out every show in their own backyard, what does this mean for other acts?
On a side note, the band's new video for "Magnificent" has debuted. Is it me or does this video look like a throwback and completely unoriginal? This should have been the lead single from the new record...alas, it now stands to get lost.
Read my review of No Line on the Horizon at this link.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Other Keith Urban Live Concert Reviews From 2007 and 2008
To those finding this blog for the first time because of my recent Keith Urban review, feel free to check out my other live reviews at the following links:
Milwaukee 2007 Review at this link.
Chicago (Rosemont) November 2007 at this link.
Chicago June 2008 (Opening for Kenny Chesney) at this link.
How Not To Act When You Meet Your Favorite Band (Black Sabbath)
Got 3-minutes to spare? You'll see a fan scare the sh*t out of Black Sabbath (aka Heaven and Hell). See below.
Black Sabbath's Biggest Fan - Watch more Funny Videos
Black Sabbath's Biggest Fan - Watch more Funny Videos
Keith Urban: Reaching For The Sky (Live in Chicago Review 5/15/09)
Keith Urban: Reaching For The Sky
Allstate Arena-Rosemont, IL
May 15, 2009
Allstate Arena-Rosemont, IL
May 15, 2009
Pictures Courtesy of CJ Piper
Review By Anthony Kuzminski
A third of the way into Keith Urban’s recent Chicago stop, he glided off stage during a guitar solo at the end of an electrified version of “You’re My Better Half” and made his way through the crowd to the soundboard. At the back of the arena, Urban stood on a platform and welcomed those in the cheap seats with an infectious smile and his charming Australian accent, "Who's got the best seats now?” He then strummed his guitar and launched into a stripped down version of his 2006 hit “Once In A Lifetime”. The song featured only Urban’s pining electric guitar and a bit of rhythm from drummer Chris McHugh, but it was an intimate moment often missing from arena shows that the audience relished. Keith Urban is one of the premier live performers on the road at this moment in time. In my humble opinion, he may be the best arena performer today. The crowd sung along to every word of the song encompassing the arena with a tender glow often only found in clubs. However, Keith Urban has a way to breaching barriers in his art providing everyone with not just an evening of entertainment but an illuminating experience that transcends beyond his music.
Opening with “Hit the Ground Running”, Urban did just that as he and his six piece band (led by a four guitar front line attack) tore through a twenty-song set that stretched over two-hours. Dressed in jeans, a short-sleeve shirt and a stylish new haircut, Urban’s appearance is much like his shows; no nonsense. That’s not to say that Urban doesn’t bring the necessary elements to bring his shows into the 21st Century. The songs were accentuated by sprawling stage that looks as if it is erected from the ground with sections that veered directly into the crowd. It provided an open atmosphere with no security gates making the mental distance between band and fan almost non-existent. Urban is a superstar, but he approaches his shows with a fearlessness rarely seen in concerts anymore as he tries to make the audience feel like an integral part of the show. The stage backdrop consisted of five high definition split screens which shifted throughout the evening (sometimes hovering over the band) and displayed everything from lush landscapes to a kaleidoscope of colors to childhood photo’s of the band members. Urban’s stages are continually inventive without being obstructive and always allowing his music to not just breathe but be the focal point of the show.
Fan favorites including the fist pumping “Days Go By”, the alluring “Stupid Boy” and the southern blues of “Where The Blacktop Ends” hooked the crowd early with a heady rush of adrenaline. The material from Defying Gravity ranged from impressive (“Kiss the Girl” and “Sweet Thing”) to monotonous (“Standing Right In Front of You”). During a mid-set three song section the show appeared to lose momentum, that is until “Til Summer Comes Around” where Urban unleashed a breathtaking guitar solo that reminds one of why Urban isn’t your run-of-the-mill country or rock star. He’s the rare musician whose lead guitar fireworks are equal to his front man charisma. He’s more fluid than most performers half his age and yet never fails to nail his solos. Watching his fingers maneuver across those frets was like watching him write poetry. “If I Ever Could Love” is a stark revelation of commitment and love proved to be languid in concert. I had overlooked the song on the album and here in concert, it stands as the best of the new tracks, however, positioning it after the epic “Who Wouldn’t Want To Be Me” meant that it was lost in the emotional thick of the action. It should be performed earlier in the set where it would stand out more. If there is one quibble I had from this tour is that the new material doesn’t quite stand up to the deep cuts fro his last few records. On previous tours when he performed “Shine”, “Faster Car” and “Used to the Pain”, they stood side by side with his biggest hits and were indistinguishable to the uninitiated in concert. As the tour progresses, it would be nice to see Urban take some chances with this material; rearrange these songs and maneuver them into a more cohesive section of the show so there is no loss of momentum and give them the necessary bite they deserve.
The final section of the show featured one hit after another. Even the ill conceived positioning of the ballads didn’t matter because of the emotion poured into the performances. The aching “Raining On Sunday” found the band joining Urban midway through (on the last tour this was an acoustic solo performance) while “Tonight I Wanna Cry” was reworked in a remarkable acoustic arrangement. The rest of the rockers infused the crowd with enough adrenaline to fuel the roars for the remainder of the show. “I Told You So”, “You Look Good In My Shirt” and “Better Life” walloped the crowd into a frenzied state that lasted well after the house lights went on. Urban and his backing band flex their muscle on a wide variety of instruments and a vast array of musical instrumentation that matches the E Street Band in terms of defiance, dedication, substance and soul. They know Urban and his music like the back of their hand and they don’t just accompany Urban, they elevate his music to new heights in concert. It is one thing to have a set of accomplished musicians backing you up, but what Urban has is a band who compliments his material in ways I am not sure if he even deemed possible.
Every night Keith Urban hits the stage with a fluidity that is rare to witness these days. Even on nights with static set lists, he finds a way to crawl beneath the surface, get under your skin and elevate your mind, body and soul. Some acts feel that by changing a set daily does this and others feel that by only performing their biggest hits will accomplish this. However, what is needed is a purpose and mission; both of which he has. His paramount songs are infused with unbridled enthusiasm that is impossible to deny. When one leaves the arena after a Keith Urban show they have a feeling of joy through the emotional, spiritual and physical release his concerts provide. For those two-plus hours on stage, anything seems possible and life’s problems wash away. As the band shred through their set ending “Somebody Like You” Urban reminds us that when he connects with the pitch he doesn’t just hit a homerun, but the ball soars to heights that reach far into the sky and out of the park.
Review By Anthony Kuzminski
A third of the way into Keith Urban’s recent Chicago stop, he glided off stage during a guitar solo at the end of an electrified version of “You’re My Better Half” and made his way through the crowd to the soundboard. At the back of the arena, Urban stood on a platform and welcomed those in the cheap seats with an infectious smile and his charming Australian accent, "Who's got the best seats now?” He then strummed his guitar and launched into a stripped down version of his 2006 hit “Once In A Lifetime”. The song featured only Urban’s pining electric guitar and a bit of rhythm from drummer Chris McHugh, but it was an intimate moment often missing from arena shows that the audience relished. Keith Urban is one of the premier live performers on the road at this moment in time. In my humble opinion, he may be the best arena performer today. The crowd sung along to every word of the song encompassing the arena with a tender glow often only found in clubs. However, Keith Urban has a way to breaching barriers in his art providing everyone with not just an evening of entertainment but an illuminating experience that transcends beyond his music.
Opening with “Hit the Ground Running”, Urban did just that as he and his six piece band (led by a four guitar front line attack) tore through a twenty-song set that stretched over two-hours. Dressed in jeans, a short-sleeve shirt and a stylish new haircut, Urban’s appearance is much like his shows; no nonsense. That’s not to say that Urban doesn’t bring the necessary elements to bring his shows into the 21st Century. The songs were accentuated by sprawling stage that looks as if it is erected from the ground with sections that veered directly into the crowd. It provided an open atmosphere with no security gates making the mental distance between band and fan almost non-existent. Urban is a superstar, but he approaches his shows with a fearlessness rarely seen in concerts anymore as he tries to make the audience feel like an integral part of the show. The stage backdrop consisted of five high definition split screens which shifted throughout the evening (sometimes hovering over the band) and displayed everything from lush landscapes to a kaleidoscope of colors to childhood photo’s of the band members. Urban’s stages are continually inventive without being obstructive and always allowing his music to not just breathe but be the focal point of the show.
Fan favorites including the fist pumping “Days Go By”, the alluring “Stupid Boy” and the southern blues of “Where The Blacktop Ends” hooked the crowd early with a heady rush of adrenaline. The material from Defying Gravity ranged from impressive (“Kiss the Girl” and “Sweet Thing”) to monotonous (“Standing Right In Front of You”). During a mid-set three song section the show appeared to lose momentum, that is until “Til Summer Comes Around” where Urban unleashed a breathtaking guitar solo that reminds one of why Urban isn’t your run-of-the-mill country or rock star. He’s the rare musician whose lead guitar fireworks are equal to his front man charisma. He’s more fluid than most performers half his age and yet never fails to nail his solos. Watching his fingers maneuver across those frets was like watching him write poetry. “If I Ever Could Love” is a stark revelation of commitment and love proved to be languid in concert. I had overlooked the song on the album and here in concert, it stands as the best of the new tracks, however, positioning it after the epic “Who Wouldn’t Want To Be Me” meant that it was lost in the emotional thick of the action. It should be performed earlier in the set where it would stand out more. If there is one quibble I had from this tour is that the new material doesn’t quite stand up to the deep cuts fro his last few records. On previous tours when he performed “Shine”, “Faster Car” and “Used to the Pain”, they stood side by side with his biggest hits and were indistinguishable to the uninitiated in concert. As the tour progresses, it would be nice to see Urban take some chances with this material; rearrange these songs and maneuver them into a more cohesive section of the show so there is no loss of momentum and give them the necessary bite they deserve.
The final section of the show featured one hit after another. Even the ill conceived positioning of the ballads didn’t matter because of the emotion poured into the performances. The aching “Raining On Sunday” found the band joining Urban midway through (on the last tour this was an acoustic solo performance) while “Tonight I Wanna Cry” was reworked in a remarkable acoustic arrangement. The rest of the rockers infused the crowd with enough adrenaline to fuel the roars for the remainder of the show. “I Told You So”, “You Look Good In My Shirt” and “Better Life” walloped the crowd into a frenzied state that lasted well after the house lights went on. Urban and his backing band flex their muscle on a wide variety of instruments and a vast array of musical instrumentation that matches the E Street Band in terms of defiance, dedication, substance and soul. They know Urban and his music like the back of their hand and they don’t just accompany Urban, they elevate his music to new heights in concert. It is one thing to have a set of accomplished musicians backing you up, but what Urban has is a band who compliments his material in ways I am not sure if he even deemed possible.
Every night Keith Urban hits the stage with a fluidity that is rare to witness these days. Even on nights with static set lists, he finds a way to crawl beneath the surface, get under your skin and elevate your mind, body and soul. Some acts feel that by changing a set daily does this and others feel that by only performing their biggest hits will accomplish this. However, what is needed is a purpose and mission; both of which he has. His paramount songs are infused with unbridled enthusiasm that is impossible to deny. When one leaves the arena after a Keith Urban show they have a feeling of joy through the emotional, spiritual and physical release his concerts provide. For those two-plus hours on stage, anything seems possible and life’s problems wash away. As the band shred through their set ending “Somebody Like You” Urban reminds us that when he connects with the pitch he doesn’t just hit a homerun, but the ball soars to heights that reach far into the sky and out of the park.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Of G-Strings, Geordi, & Goodness
May 11, 2009
This afternoon I find myself in a very nice coffee shop in the town in which I was born. It's a little cool, and it has clouded over since I took the walk in this morning. At the window-side booth directly behind me, two older ladies are having a conversation, which has included the topic of women's underwear, specifically G-strings.
"Well, they must be for the men, because they sure can't be comfortable!"
"I guess there's no pantylines."
Kind of an odd conversation to be listening to, particularly from two older ladies. Anyways, that's completely unrelated to what I want to write about.
The other night I came across the movie Star Trek: Insurrection on TV. The old Star Trek movies have been on everywhere, leading up to the release of the new film. If you're not familiar with Insurrection, which you can be excused for, in a nutshell it's about the crew of the Enterprise traveling to a planet with age-reversing qualities and trying to save the inhabitants from being re-located. Overall it's not one of my favourite Trek movies, but there's one scene involving Geordi Laforge that I really like. Now if you don't know who Geordi Laforge is, well that is unforgivable and I will promptly remove you from my Facebook friend list...But to provide a context, Geordi is the blind engineer who for years used a visor in order to see, and in the movie has upgraded to some sort of ocular implants. As the ship arrives in orbit of the planet, Geordi starts experiencing headaches and dizziness; obviously something is wrong with the implants. Or so it seems. The rest of the crew begins to experience age-reversing qualities. Captain Picard mambos in his quarters, Riker has new-found energy, which unsurprisingly raises his always high libido. But then there's the scene with Geordi. The screen shows him standing on a hill on the planet, breathing deeply and in wonder as he watches the sunset...with his own eyes. The captain approaches him, and Geordi tells him "it turns out there wasn't something wrong, there was something right." His ocular nerves had regenerated, he was perfectly fine. And there he was, enjoying his first sunset, drinking it up.
Geordi's experience in this movie makes me think of how it can be with many of us. Various things happen to each of us from the time we are born, all throughout our lives, and often we can get that unsettled feeling. That feeling that something is wrong.
There are many reasons why we can have this feeling. One might be an unhappy or unhealthy home life while growing up, where we can feel that things just aren't the way that they are supposed to be. This is perhaps the most deep-seated reason for many people's ongoing feelings of trouble. For some children, this can continue as they become self-conscious and start comparing themselves to other kids on the schoolyard. They see that their peers have more "stuff" than they do - nicer clothes, more popular friends, the latest technological items, and they surmise that there is something wrong with them because they don't have them. These comparisons continue well into adulthood of course.
Something is wrong.
Yet another powerful reason that people can have this feeling has to do with religious belief. The origin of life story that is set out in the Bible tells of a man and woman who had it all, perfection in Eden, until they disobeyed God. At this time God banished them from the garden. The thought continued, and is still believed today, that every man and woman born into this world ever since are "sinful." It isn't much of a leap for many, I suspect, to go from "Humans are originally sinful," to "Humans are bad at their core," to "I am bad." This belief can greatly re-inforce a child's, or anyone's, already existing belief and anxiety that things aren't right.
Something is Wrong.
Whatever the reasons we have for our unsettled feelings, if they remain within us, I think we will always be looking for ways to make things right. This is different than healthy ambition, or striving to achieve new things or reach goals. This wondering, wondering how we can make things better, among other things it robs us of being in the present moment. But that's a whole other subject.
How do we try to counter this gnawing feeling that something is wrong? Children may try many things, from being as obedient as they possibly can at home, to running faster or achieving the highest level at anything they do, at school or during other activities. Religious people, of varying belief systems, try to obey the rules they believe they must obey in order to be good, or safe. In this particular case, in regards to religion, rather than believing something because it rings true deeply within themselves, they are doing something else. They are layering something which they are taught is good, over something that they believe is wrong, or bad, and that belief is a lie that is covering something else. Their - our - very core. For far too many, this all becomes a race that can never end, a struggle that can never be won. It leads to an unbearable life. It's like having a cake in front of you that is really quite delicious, but for some reason you aren't quite satisfied with it. So you, or someone else, adds another layer, which turns out to not taste very good. It continues. You, or someone else, adds another layer. And while that may make it taste better, now the cake is far too dense. Really, the original cake was absolutely fine. It was good. Nothing was wrong.
Nothing is Wrong.
You are not bad.
You are good, right at your very core.
So how do we achieve this? How do we get to this place, where something is not wrong? There are many things that can aid us on our journey. Meditation, music, good friends and a glass of wine, spirituality, ideas from religions and books, etc. But I think for a lot of people, the moment you try to "make yourself a better person" by listening to, or reading, or believing any of these things, that can become just another part of the endless race. I think maybe the most important thing is to stop.
Stop trying to become a good person. You are a good person. You have been since the very second you were born into this world. Stop the struggle, refuse to fight that which feels wrong because nothing is wrong.
Stop layering things onto yourself, instead strip things away, and see yourself at your very core.
It turns out nothing is wrong. Something is right.
This afternoon I find myself in a very nice coffee shop in the town in which I was born. It's a little cool, and it has clouded over since I took the walk in this morning. At the window-side booth directly behind me, two older ladies are having a conversation, which has included the topic of women's underwear, specifically G-strings.
"Well, they must be for the men, because they sure can't be comfortable!"
"I guess there's no pantylines."
Kind of an odd conversation to be listening to, particularly from two older ladies. Anyways, that's completely unrelated to what I want to write about.
The other night I came across the movie Star Trek: Insurrection on TV. The old Star Trek movies have been on everywhere, leading up to the release of the new film. If you're not familiar with Insurrection, which you can be excused for, in a nutshell it's about the crew of the Enterprise traveling to a planet with age-reversing qualities and trying to save the inhabitants from being re-located. Overall it's not one of my favourite Trek movies, but there's one scene involving Geordi Laforge that I really like. Now if you don't know who Geordi Laforge is, well that is unforgivable and I will promptly remove you from my Facebook friend list...But to provide a context, Geordi is the blind engineer who for years used a visor in order to see, and in the movie has upgraded to some sort of ocular implants. As the ship arrives in orbit of the planet, Geordi starts experiencing headaches and dizziness; obviously something is wrong with the implants. Or so it seems. The rest of the crew begins to experience age-reversing qualities. Captain Picard mambos in his quarters, Riker has new-found energy, which unsurprisingly raises his always high libido. But then there's the scene with Geordi. The screen shows him standing on a hill on the planet, breathing deeply and in wonder as he watches the sunset...with his own eyes. The captain approaches him, and Geordi tells him "it turns out there wasn't something wrong, there was something right." His ocular nerves had regenerated, he was perfectly fine. And there he was, enjoying his first sunset, drinking it up.
Geordi's experience in this movie makes me think of how it can be with many of us. Various things happen to each of us from the time we are born, all throughout our lives, and often we can get that unsettled feeling. That feeling that something is wrong.
There are many reasons why we can have this feeling. One might be an unhappy or unhealthy home life while growing up, where we can feel that things just aren't the way that they are supposed to be. This is perhaps the most deep-seated reason for many people's ongoing feelings of trouble. For some children, this can continue as they become self-conscious and start comparing themselves to other kids on the schoolyard. They see that their peers have more "stuff" than they do - nicer clothes, more popular friends, the latest technological items, and they surmise that there is something wrong with them because they don't have them. These comparisons continue well into adulthood of course.
Something is wrong.
Yet another powerful reason that people can have this feeling has to do with religious belief. The origin of life story that is set out in the Bible tells of a man and woman who had it all, perfection in Eden, until they disobeyed God. At this time God banished them from the garden. The thought continued, and is still believed today, that every man and woman born into this world ever since are "sinful." It isn't much of a leap for many, I suspect, to go from "Humans are originally sinful," to "Humans are bad at their core," to "I am bad." This belief can greatly re-inforce a child's, or anyone's, already existing belief and anxiety that things aren't right.
Something is Wrong.
Whatever the reasons we have for our unsettled feelings, if they remain within us, I think we will always be looking for ways to make things right. This is different than healthy ambition, or striving to achieve new things or reach goals. This wondering, wondering how we can make things better, among other things it robs us of being in the present moment. But that's a whole other subject.
How do we try to counter this gnawing feeling that something is wrong? Children may try many things, from being as obedient as they possibly can at home, to running faster or achieving the highest level at anything they do, at school or during other activities. Religious people, of varying belief systems, try to obey the rules they believe they must obey in order to be good, or safe. In this particular case, in regards to religion, rather than believing something because it rings true deeply within themselves, they are doing something else. They are layering something which they are taught is good, over something that they believe is wrong, or bad, and that belief is a lie that is covering something else. Their - our - very core. For far too many, this all becomes a race that can never end, a struggle that can never be won. It leads to an unbearable life. It's like having a cake in front of you that is really quite delicious, but for some reason you aren't quite satisfied with it. So you, or someone else, adds another layer, which turns out to not taste very good. It continues. You, or someone else, adds another layer. And while that may make it taste better, now the cake is far too dense. Really, the original cake was absolutely fine. It was good. Nothing was wrong.
Nothing is Wrong.
You are not bad.
You are good, right at your very core.
So how do we achieve this? How do we get to this place, where something is not wrong? There are many things that can aid us on our journey. Meditation, music, good friends and a glass of wine, spirituality, ideas from religions and books, etc. But I think for a lot of people, the moment you try to "make yourself a better person" by listening to, or reading, or believing any of these things, that can become just another part of the endless race. I think maybe the most important thing is to stop.
Stop trying to become a good person. You are a good person. You have been since the very second you were born into this world. Stop the struggle, refuse to fight that which feels wrong because nothing is wrong.
Stop layering things onto yourself, instead strip things away, and see yourself at your very core.
It turns out nothing is wrong. Something is right.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Mellencamp Firms Up Live EP, Box Set and More!
From John Mellencamp's official website {Link}
May 12th, 2009 - Here are a few updates on John's current activities-with the usual caveat that everything is subject to change.
The tentative title of John's long-awaited box set is "On the Rural Route 7609." Clever readers will decipher the title as a reference to the fact that John's first album, "Chestnut Street Incident," was released in 1976, hence the number 7609 is a reference to the fact that the box spans John's recording career from 1976 to the present 2009.
The box will contain four CDs, with at least 72 tracks. John and veteran record company a&r executive and producer Steve Berkowitz are still working on the artwork and the audio contents, but the set will highlight alternate takes of classic songs. "Some of them show me actually in the process of writing them," says John, "so there's a lot of stopping and starting up again-a lot of head-scratching. It's turned into quite a project."
Prior to the box set, though, will come "Life Death Live Freedom," an eight-song live album of "Life, Death, Love & Freedom" tracks ("If I Die Sudden," "My Sweet Love," "Jena," "A Ride Back Home," "Young Without Lovers," "Don't Need This Body," "Longest Days" and "Troubled Land"), scheduled for release on June 23. And that's completely live, by the way, with no studio enhancements.
Meanwhile, casting continues for the projected "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County" CD/book package involving a recording of the songs and the dialog of John's musical collaboration with Stephen King. No word yet on who's on board, but several major artists have signed on.
Read the rest of the press release here.
Butch Walker adds shows in May out West...
Here's the message from Butch...
This Just In!!! Miley Cyrus has officially killed Radiohead's career! Its over! Well... Maybe only their chances of selling records to stupid people and ever getting admitted into Disneyland. But damn that sucks, y'all!!! (Said in my best Britney inflection). How about a new list of tour dates? I think we can do this. Its not much, but its all I could get (although I think it'll make some Texans and Colorado-ans giddy). It'll be a fun little romp across the great US of Hey! And it'll get us sittin' pretty out in Cali to wrap it up in LA (not without taking down SF and OC first). OMFG! ROTFLMAOMFG! Ok.. I'll stop. Mornings are the best/worst! 5/20 - Stubb's BBQ / Austin, TX (Presale begins 4/17 UN: butch PW: walker) 5/21 - Pontiac Garage / Dallas, TX (Presale begins 4/17 UN: butch PW: walker) 5/24 - Bluebird Theater / Denver, CO (Presale begins 4/17 UN: butch PW: walker) Me and the boys are pumped to come see you all. We sound better than I could imagine, and I imagine quite a bit sometimes. Like, imagine if my band name was called "Barack ObaMastoDon JohnSon Volt". I'm out like a trout. |
Monday, May 11, 2009
Bon Jovi To Perform at 2010 Super Bowl?
According to this article, it appears Bon Jovi will be headlining the Super Bowl halftime show next year. If they do, look for their $200 concert tickets to go on sale the following day. They'll follow Petty and Sprngsteen's cue as this is the best way to sell $100+ tickets.
Let's just hope this is not a repeat performance of 2003 when Bon Jovi played at the end of the game to a stadium that was emptying out while they performed.
My vote for the setlist if they do play (modified songs of course with only the lead verse):
Lay Your Hands On Me (with marching band)
Raise Your Hands
Good Lovin'/Bad Medicine/ Shout {Youtube Link}
Livin' On A Prayer
Keith Urban 2009 Tour Setlist
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According to this opening night report at Mohegan Sun, the following is what appears to be Urban's setlist for his new tour:
"Hit the Ground Runnin'," "Days go By," "Stupid Boy," "Where the Blacktop Ends," "You're my Better Half," "Once in a Lifetime," "Making Memories of Us," "Standing Right in Front of You," "'Til Summer Comes Around," "Sweet Thing," "Who Wouldn't Wanna be Me," "If Ever I Could Love," "Raining on Sunday," "Kiss a Girl," "I Told you So," "You'll Think of Me," "You Look Good in my Shirt," "Somebody Like You," (Encore) Tonight I Wanna Cry," "Better Life."
I am sure we'll see some changes over the course of the tour, but it looks like he is off to a good start.
Want to see what U2's 360 stage is shaping up to look like?
Go to this link
I can only begin to imagine how they are going to pull this off in football stadiums.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Rod Stewart & Ron Wood: ‘Unplugged…and Seated’ 2009 Reissue Review
Rod Stewart ‘Unplugged…and Seated’
2009 Reissue Album Review
4-stars
By Anthony Kuzminski
When people talk smack about Rod Stewart, it’s not because they hate him, but the opposite; deep down they truly love him. The truth is most people actually like Rod Stewart which is why they feel invested in his career choices. Ever since leaving The Faces most feel Stewart has been on a downward spiral and with every new tour and release, they let him know exactly how they feel. On the other hand, I was introduced to Rod during the 1980’s and I’ll admit to having a soft spot for his material from this period. Is it as potent as Every Picture Tells a Story? No, but that doesn’t mean some good songs weren’t written and recorded. One look at his Storyteller box set and you get the full scope of his career which is impressive (a side note, Rhino Records Faces box set Five Guys Walk Into A Bar… is one of the greatest box sets ever culled). While it’s unlikely he will ever return to the days of bluesy riffs and whiskey drenched vocals, he has had some periods that are a little less embarrassing than his “Love Touch” era. Beginning in 1988 with this Out of Order record, Stewart appeared more confident in his craft and began a bit of a comeback. Out of Order housed four top-forty singles and even had a few other heady album tracks. A cover of the Tom Waits song “Downtown Train” gave Stewart his biggest hit in a decade and the 1991 release of Vagabond Heart in 1991 helped further fuel his comeback. However, his most successful release (and most heralded) came as he took a look to the past with an old friend.
Unplugged…and Seated is a refreshing release from Rod Stewart and may possibly be his best since the 1970’s. It’s a no frills affair showcasing Rod’s absolute voice, something that occasionally is lost amidst chaotic productions and songs that aren’t up to the talent of his voice. Unplugged shows were all the rage from 1990-1995 and Stewart’s is as refreshing as any of them. For possibly the only time since he left the Faces, he let the music do the talking. What better way to revisit the past than to invite his old Faces band mate Ron Wood? Wood sits in and adds to the air of revitalization as Stewart and his accomplished band whisk through the past with ease and vibration proving even the naysayers that Stewart still had much vitality left inside of him.
One of the reasons everyone will pay attention to a new Rod Stewart release is because of his voice. It’s an instrument that he wields with great prowess and showcases his ability to become many different characters. How else can you explain the generation coming before Stewart heralding him for his Great American Songbook records? The rock n’ roll era views these as a sell-out (mostly because of his association with Clive Davis) but in reality, if you’re going to do a series of covers, is there better material to draw from? However, by looking back to his own past, Stewart created his most essential album of his latter part career with Unplugged…and Seated. The album’s two most well known tracks, a Van Morrison cover of “Have I Told You Lately” and “Reason To Believe” may have been overplayed by FM programmers in 1994, alas, taken within the context of this performance, both are revelatory. In the reissue is a DVD of the performance allowing us to witness the tear Stewart shed during “Have I Told You Lately”. In a world where publicists carefully create an image to appeal youthful and cool, it was refreshing to not just see Stewart allow himself to be vulnerable, but to let his tender voice crack with sentiment. This is what makes this record so damn special. Instead of playing it safe, Stewart went back to the beginning and found his authentic voice. This isn’t a pop star looking for fame and glory, but a young turk exposing his soul.
“Hot Legs” and “Tonight’s The Night” sound enchanted in a reserved atmosphere while “Gasoline Alley” (one of the reissues bonus tracks) is cocked full of high octane riffs taking you back to Stewart’s youth. There are only two tracks that don’t quite work; “Forever Young” (a bonus track) and “Having A Party”. Try as they might, “Forever Young” never lifts off here and despite my reverence for the song, it makes me wonder if it is really that good of a song or if it was the syrupy arrangement I feel for. “Party” has a rather limp arrangement and delivery that teeters on karaoke. However, the rest of the tracks are fully formed and realized with impassioned vocals by Stewart and some great back up support by Ronnie Wood. At this time in his membership with the Rolling Stones, Wood was definitely second fiddle to Keith Richards and this was my first peak at his showmanship and how important he is to his musical brother Stewart. Their lack of musical projects over the last three decades is one of the music world’s great losses. Both are at their best when with each other. If you doubt me on this, one listen to “Every Picture Tells a Story” or “Stay With Me” will have you thinking otherwise.
If you do not have Unplugged…and Seated in your collection already, this is essential for any Rod Stewart and Ron Wood fan. It includes some excellent liner notes by Bud Scoppa in the new version. If you previously own it, the DVD is a nice addition and the inclusion of “Gasoline Alley” almost warrants you opening your wallet a second time just to hear Wood and Stewart share the same stage and microphone for one of a handful of times in the last thirty-three years.
2009 Reissue Album Review
4-stars
By Anthony Kuzminski
When people talk smack about Rod Stewart, it’s not because they hate him, but the opposite; deep down they truly love him. The truth is most people actually like Rod Stewart which is why they feel invested in his career choices. Ever since leaving The Faces most feel Stewart has been on a downward spiral and with every new tour and release, they let him know exactly how they feel. On the other hand, I was introduced to Rod during the 1980’s and I’ll admit to having a soft spot for his material from this period. Is it as potent as Every Picture Tells a Story? No, but that doesn’t mean some good songs weren’t written and recorded. One look at his Storyteller box set and you get the full scope of his career which is impressive (a side note, Rhino Records Faces box set Five Guys Walk Into A Bar… is one of the greatest box sets ever culled). While it’s unlikely he will ever return to the days of bluesy riffs and whiskey drenched vocals, he has had some periods that are a little less embarrassing than his “Love Touch” era. Beginning in 1988 with this Out of Order record, Stewart appeared more confident in his craft and began a bit of a comeback. Out of Order housed four top-forty singles and even had a few other heady album tracks. A cover of the Tom Waits song “Downtown Train” gave Stewart his biggest hit in a decade and the 1991 release of Vagabond Heart in 1991 helped further fuel his comeback. However, his most successful release (and most heralded) came as he took a look to the past with an old friend.Unplugged…and Seated is a refreshing release from Rod Stewart and may possibly be his best since the 1970’s. It’s a no frills affair showcasing Rod’s absolute voice, something that occasionally is lost amidst chaotic productions and songs that aren’t up to the talent of his voice. Unplugged shows were all the rage from 1990-1995 and Stewart’s is as refreshing as any of them. For possibly the only time since he left the Faces, he let the music do the talking. What better way to revisit the past than to invite his old Faces band mate Ron Wood? Wood sits in and adds to the air of revitalization as Stewart and his accomplished band whisk through the past with ease and vibration proving even the naysayers that Stewart still had much vitality left inside of him.
One of the reasons everyone will pay attention to a new Rod Stewart release is because of his voice. It’s an instrument that he wields with great prowess and showcases his ability to become many different characters. How else can you explain the generation coming before Stewart heralding him for his Great American Songbook records? The rock n’ roll era views these as a sell-out (mostly because of his association with Clive Davis) but in reality, if you’re going to do a series of covers, is there better material to draw from? However, by looking back to his own past, Stewart created his most essential album of his latter part career with Unplugged…and Seated. The album’s two most well known tracks, a Van Morrison cover of “Have I Told You Lately” and “Reason To Believe” may have been overplayed by FM programmers in 1994, alas, taken within the context of this performance, both are revelatory. In the reissue is a DVD of the performance allowing us to witness the tear Stewart shed during “Have I Told You Lately”. In a world where publicists carefully create an image to appeal youthful and cool, it was refreshing to not just see Stewart allow himself to be vulnerable, but to let his tender voice crack with sentiment. This is what makes this record so damn special. Instead of playing it safe, Stewart went back to the beginning and found his authentic voice. This isn’t a pop star looking for fame and glory, but a young turk exposing his soul.
“Hot Legs” and “Tonight’s The Night” sound enchanted in a reserved atmosphere while “Gasoline Alley” (one of the reissues bonus tracks) is cocked full of high octane riffs taking you back to Stewart’s youth. There are only two tracks that don’t quite work; “Forever Young” (a bonus track) and “Having A Party”. Try as they might, “Forever Young” never lifts off here and despite my reverence for the song, it makes me wonder if it is really that good of a song or if it was the syrupy arrangement I feel for. “Party” has a rather limp arrangement and delivery that teeters on karaoke. However, the rest of the tracks are fully formed and realized with impassioned vocals by Stewart and some great back up support by Ronnie Wood. At this time in his membership with the Rolling Stones, Wood was definitely second fiddle to Keith Richards and this was my first peak at his showmanship and how important he is to his musical brother Stewart. Their lack of musical projects over the last three decades is one of the music world’s great losses. Both are at their best when with each other. If you doubt me on this, one listen to “Every Picture Tells a Story” or “Stay With Me” will have you thinking otherwise.
If you do not have Unplugged…and Seated in your collection already, this is essential for any Rod Stewart and Ron Wood fan. It includes some excellent liner notes by Bud Scoppa in the new version. If you previously own it, the DVD is a nice addition and the inclusion of “Gasoline Alley” almost warrants you opening your wallet a second time just to hear Wood and Stewart share the same stage and microphone for one of a handful of times in the last thirty-three years.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Glasvegas review up on their MySpace site
The Glasvegas review I did a few weeks back is being linked to on their MySpace page under the following title: XLXVII
It;s under the "General Info" tab and the Glasvegas Press/Reviews Links
It's on the left hand side of the column. Yay me...
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Bon Jovi at the New Orleans Jazz Fest: Who Says You Can’t Go Wrong
{Photo Credit}Whenever I tell anyone I like Bon Jovi, I get shot a look where the person tells me (without ever speaking a word) that I have no taste in music. I don’t take things like that personally, because I know deep down that they’re underrated and there is far more to Bon Jovi than meets the eye. For a quarter of a century, they have defied everyone’s expectations by merely surviving. Anyone betting on their chances of survival five, ten, fifteen or twenty-five years after “You Give Love A Bad Name” would have lost money, because no one believed in them; except themselves and their core fan base.
Last night, Bon Jovi performed at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. You don’t need to read newspapers or even watch the news with any regularity to know of the devastation this city has endured over the last four years. It’s astounding and the fact that parts of it are still as bad as the day the storms hit is a reminder of how badly our country screwed up the relief efforts and how many of us were horrified by the images we saw, but went back to our regular lives without really ever giving the city a second thought until we wanted to visit it only to realize that it’s not the city it used to be. One of the people I give credit for helping re-build it is Jon Bon Jovi. Now, I fully realize that he gave Oprah a cool million-dollars when he was on her show plugging a new album and some part of that left a bad taste in my mouth. That being said, they put their money in the hands of a woman who was able to get things done. Is it good PR they gained traction from? Yes. But, it’s hard to argue with results and a few hundred displaced New Orleans residents had a new home within a year of the tragedy because of the band’s generosity. That’s nothing to make light of.
So the band makes their way into New Orleans for their first show in the city in two decades and what do they do? They delivered a sh*ttastic set list that would appeal to very few. Now before you all start sending me hate mail, let me explain. I happen to believe Bon Jovi is more than a band whose only virtue is entertainment. I believe they have a gift to take a crowd and raise them to a higher power. However, as of late, Bon Jovi has been playing into the hands of the naysayers, those who doubt and love to put down. Last weekend in Vegas and now in New Orleans, the band delivered two limp and uninspired set lists. Now I will state that I did not attend either show, but to see such uninspired song choices makes me wonder, what do they want to be; artists or entertainers?
Webster’s defines an entertainer as “One who entertains”. The definition of an artist is as follows, “a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.” So which is Bon Jovi? I’d like to tell you somewhere in between, however, based on what I’ve seen as of late, I’d say they fall more in line with an entertainer than an artist. Why? The biggest issue comes from the unimaginative set lists and some truly dreadful songs that need to die a quick death and never are heard from again (“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”, “I Love This Town”, “We Got It Goin’ On”, anemic covers and a static set list order). In fact, I’d actually pay the band a few hundred dollars to never see or hear most of these songs ever again. Some of the songs aren’t horrid, but when you’re churning out a mere 20 songs, well, you have a hell of a lot better songs to choose from instead of craptastic numbers like “We Got It Goin’ On” (ummmm, no you don’t). Need I remind this band that in their arsenal of hits they have- “Blaze of Glory”, “Lay Your Hands On Me”, “Never Say Goodbye”, “Always”, “Something For The Pain” and numerous album cuts that would be welcomed by any crowd.
What frosts me about the New Orleans set list is that it’s a edited Lost Highway one with none of the pizzazz. I believe artists take their art and find a way to transform it to the times. Unlike painters of film artists, musicians can wield their vast catalogs nightly in ways no other artist can combine different periods. In Bon Jovi’s case, they have dozens of songs that could speak to the conditions of the city’s current situation; their nightmares, their hopes and their dreams. What does Bon Jovi do? They deliver a static, predictable and uninspired set that reads like the band slept through its delivery.
What should they have played? Here’s a smattering of songs that would have fit the occasion alongside their biggest hits ("Prayer", "Keep The Faith", etc.) and would have proven there is more to Bon Jovi than people believe. For the record, I do not feel all of these songs should have been performed, but the band easily could have knocked off songs like "I Love This Town" and "We Got It Goin' On" in favor of a few of the options below:
“Miracle”
A top-twenty hit for Jon Bon Jovi in 1990, the line of “Gonna take a miracle top save us this time and your savior has just left town” is fitting and appropriate.
“I Believe”
One of the best anthems the band has ever done and it would have fuel injected the set with optimism and could have pushed “Livin’ On A Prayer” towards to end of the set (opening with it at these non-tour shows has become old and tiresome).
“Dry County”
A soul searching epic rocker that showcases blazing guitar work from Richie Sambora; this was the flipside of "Miracle" and a person whose faith has been pushed to extreme ends.
“Hey God”
Get to the point and let the band rip through this one.
“These Days”
Optimistic and a song of communal healing would have been nice to hear and even Sambora could have taken over on lead vocals as he did on the last tour.
“Queen of New Orleans”
Yes, I know it’s a Jon Bon Jovi solo number, but it’s deafening guitar chords were made for occasions like this and the name of the city is name checked in the title. This was a no-brainer.
“Two Story Town”
Written about some of the towns in New Jersey, the lyrics would have been appropriate for New Orleans.
“Next 100 Years”
A astonishing statement of commitment and solitude, it’s frenzied finale always works in concert and why this has been sidelined is beyond me.
“Undivided”
Bounce is Bon Jovi’s weakest record, but this one would have been proven to be an empathetic number for the New Orleans residents and a tribute to those who didn’t survive the hurricane.
“House of the Rising Sun”
Bon Jovi used to do these creative covers and for the last decade, they have lost their groove in interpreting other’s work. Jon Bon Jovi is a self confessed fan of the Animals and what better way to pay tribute to them and New Orleans than by performing one of the definitive songs about the city? The band has played this once before at a Christmas charity show in December 1995 and that rendition even showed up on the b-side of their “Hey God” UK single from 1996. This was a lost opportunity to perform this song again.
I believe Bon Jovi is better than the set they performed and could have truly inspired people who saw the show rather than merely entertaining them. On this night, they chose to be entertainers over artists…and that’s sad because not only do the people of New Orleans deserve better, but so does Bon Jovi’s reputation and legacy.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
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